1754. Discoveries of John Poulter, p. 42. A lobb full of glibbs, a
box full of ribbons.
Adj. (old, now recognised).—Smooth; slippery; voluble; glib-tongued or
glib-gabbit (cf., Gab) = talkative; ready of speech.
1605. Shakspeare, Lear, Act i., Sc. 1. I want that glib and oily
art, To speak and purpose not.
1659. Torriano, Vocabolario, s.v.
1690. B. E., Dict. of the Cant. Crew, s.v. Smooth, without a Rub.
Glib-tongued. Voluble or Nimble-tongued.
1890. Licensed Vict. Gaz., 31 Jan. The rest who were so glib with
their promises.
Glibe, subs. (American thieves’).—Writing; specifically, a written
statement.
Glim (or Glym), subs. (old).—1. A candle, or dark lanthorn; a fire or
light of any kind. To douse the glim = to put out the light. Fr.:
estourbir la cabande. Also short for Glimmer or Glymmar (q.v.).
1690. B. E., Dict. of the Cant. Crew, s.v. A Dark Lanthorn used in
Robbing Houses; also to burn in the Hand.
1714. Memoirs of John Hall (4th ed.), p. 12. Glim, a Candle.
1728. Bailey, Eng. Dict. Glim, s.v. A candle or light.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue. Bring bess and glym; i.e., bring the
instrument to force the door, and the dark lanthorn.
1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, ii., 2. Tom. Then catch—here’s the
gentlemen’s tooth-picker, and here’s his glim. (Throws stick and
lanthorn to Jerry.)
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, bk. III., ch. 5. Every star its glim at
hiding.
1837. Dickens, Oliver Twist, ch. 16. Let’s have a glim ... or we
shall go breaking our necks.
1837. Lytton, Ernest Maltravers, Bk. I., ch. 10. ‘Hush, Jack!’
whispered one; ‘hang out the glim and let’s look about us.’
1852. Judson, Myst., etc., of New York, ch. iv. Old Jack bade
Harriet trim the glim.
1883. R. L. Stevenson, Treasure Island, p. 89. Sure enough, they
left their glim here.
1884. Henley and Stevenson, Admiral Guinea, ii., 6. Now here is my
little glim; it aint for me because I’m blind.